Crockpot Tempeh Chili

Another weekend of making a HUGE batch of chili in the crock, freeze some for later, eat the rest this week.

The keys here for me that make it a super cheap meal are using dried beans (and the pinto beans were bought in a 10-lb bag. If I buy a 1-lb bag or in bulk, they are $1-2 per lb). And I also buy my tomatoes in #10 cans (106 oz) from Costco. It does require me to freeze the leftovers. But $0.75 for 32 oz of tomatoes? I remember the days when 28-oz cans used to go on sale for $1, but they are long gone around here.

Tempeh Chili
16 oz tempeh: 2.29
1 T canola oil: 0.04
2 onions, diced: 0.49
1 bell pepper, diced: 1.00
1 anaheim pepper, diced: 0.50
3 cloves garlic, minced: 0.15
1 lb dry pintos: 0.67
1/2 lb dry black beans: 0.50
4 c. crushed tomatoes: 0.75
2 carrots, diced: 0.20
chili powder ~2 Tbsp: 0.10
crushed red pepper: to taste
cumin: 2 tsp: 0.10
oregano: 1 tsp: 0.05
cinnamon: 1 tsp: 0.05
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 small can tomato paste: 0.16

Total: $7.05 for about 16 cups, or $0.44 per cup.

Soak beans overnight and cook on the stovetop or pressure cooker or crockpot. I like the pressure cooker and the times for pintos (4-6) and black beans (5-9) overlap. Save the cooking water.

Saute tempeh and onions in oil with some chili powder until onions are soft and tempeh is brown.

Add peppers and garlic and saute 2 min more.

Add sauteed veggies to crock pot. Add drained beans, 1-2 cups of the cooking water, and remaining ingredients. Cook on low all day, or cook on high 1-2 hours then switch to low. I have to cook on high at least some to get the carrots to soften. If you shred them, they will soften faster.

We served this with cornbread.